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Note: OBITUARY: TOPPER, OLE (m. Oline, aka Lena Odness) OBITUARY 1 (1956): Ole Topper, son of Thore and Sarah Topper, was born in Valdres, Norway on Dec. 16, 1866 and came to the United States with his parents at the age of three months. The family first settled south of the village of Blue Mounds. In 1880 he was confirmed by the Rev. Adolph Bredeson, pioneer pastor of the Perry Lutheran Church. Mr. Topper was married to Oline Odness, February 18, 1891, by the Rev. Henrik Voldah. They farmed in the Blue Mounds area until 1929 when they retired and moved to the village of Blue Mounds. Upon the death of his wife November 28, 1944, he continued to live in his home with his son-in-law and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Fred Miller. Mr. Topper had been in failing health the past two years, and passed away at a Madison hospital Sunday, Feb. 3, at the age of 90 years. Surviving are four sons, Clarence, Madison; John, Springdale; Melvin, Deerfield, and Otto, Mazomanie; six daughters, Selina (Mrs. Alfred Erickson), Blue Mounds; Mable (Mrs. Walter Barron), Marshfield; Alice (Mrs. Fred Miller), village of Blue Mounds; Helen (Mrs. Milo Topper), Rothchild; Olga (Mrs. Matthew Eggum), Mt. Horeb; and Minnie (Mrs. Marvin Roberts), Arena. He is also survived by two brothers, John T. Topper, Barneveld, and Andrew Topper, Verona; 20 grandchildren and 28 great-grandchildren. Besides his parents, his wife, son Olaf, four brothers: Thorwald, Olaf, Martin and Theodore and sister Mary (Mrs. William Leacey), preceded him in death. Mr. Topper was a member of the West Blue Mounds Lutheran Church and he served for many years as a member of the cemetery board. Funeral rites took place Wednesday, February 6, at 2 p.m. from the West Blue Mounds Lutheran Church. Burial was in thechurch cemetery. The Rev. E. R. Anderson officiated. The soloist was Vernon Anderson accompanied by Mrs. Frederick Hanneman. Pallbearers were C. M. Arneson, Ed Christopher, A. S. Dokken, John Evanson, John Frame and James Olson.
OBITUARY 2: MT. HOREB - Ole Topper, 90, lifelong resident of Blue Mounds died Sunday in a Madison hospital. He was a native of Norway. He was married Feb. 18, 1891. Mrs. Topper died in 1944. Among Mr. Topper's survivors is a son, Clarence, 1113 Drake St., Madison. He is also survived by three other sons, John, Mt. Horeb; Melvin, Deerfield; and Otto, Mazomanie; six daughters: Mrs. Alfred Erickson and Mrs. Fred Miller, both of Blue Mounds; Mrs. Walter Barron, Marshfield; Mrs. Milo Topper; Wausau; Mrs. Matthew Eggum, Mt. Horeb; and Mrs. Marvin Roberts, Barneveld; two brothers, John, Barneveld and Andrew, Verona, and many grandchildren and great-grandchildren. Friends may call at the Gesme Funeral Home, afternoon Tuesday. Funeral rites will be held Wednesday, 2 p.m. in the West Blue Mounds Lutheran Church.
W. BLUE MOUNDS CONGREGATION RECEIVES BEQUEST - A public address system purchased by the family of the late Ole Topper from a portion of the memorials given in his memory was dedicated at the services Sunday, August 25 (1956) at the West Blue Mounds Lutheran Church by Pastor Raymond Mehl. In his will Mr. Topper designated a gift of $500.00 be given to the church for the extension of God's work. These contributions were gratefully accepted in his memory.
Future of Little Norway is in doubt Site features collection of Norwegian artifacts Published On: May 14 2012 06:47:17 PM CDT Updated On: May 14 2012 06:51:52 PM CDT
BLUE MOUNDS, Wis. -
The Little Norway site in Blue Mounds that houses a unique collection of Norwegian artifacts may be closing because of dwindling funds. Owner Scott Winner is the fourth generation of his family to operate the site nestled between the hills of Blue Mounds. Before Winner's family took over the property, it was land a Norwegian family settled on when they came to America.
"We've been a classroom in Wisconsin for 70 years. Teachers bringing their students here, universities bringing their students here," Winner said. Most of the buildings at Little Norway are original and are filled with a collection of Norwegian artifacts like none other in the world.
"We have been lucky enough that the generations before me did this out of a labor of love, and a dedication of the Norwegian culture," Winner said. But seven decades later, this could be the last season for Little Norway. Winner said the all-private funds to keep this collection alive are just too much.
"It's been extremely emotional," Winner said. "It's been very difficult to think about anything else."
"When Scott first told me about it, it made me very sad," said Dorris Hayes, who has given tours at Little Norway for a quarter of its existence. "It's a treasure; you can't just let it go."
Winner said he wants this collection to stay together and to stay where it is.
"People ask me in the grocery store, 'What's going to happen?' I don't know," Winner said.
Winner said future generations deserve to learn about Norwegian culture, and how his ancestors lived when they came to this country. He said he wants his family's labor of love to live on.
"This has survived for 119 years and it will keep going; it will survive," Winner said. "I hope it stays on this site, when it does survive."
While the family is stepping aside, Winner said he hopes a private group or a foundation will take it over. He said he will even stay with it, under new owners, to maintain the collection.
While there are a lot of unknowns, Winner said he's an eternal optimist, and he has high hopes that things will work out by the end of this season. _________________
Ole and Lena lived Section 32 Vermont Township, and Section 4 Blue Mounds Township across the road from Little Norway, and on a farm in Brigham Township on the road from the Meadow Grove School north to Barneveld.
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